The Garlic Farm on the Isle of Wight is one of those places that quietly becomes a must-do twice over. We were at IoW for a week and I had earmarked this as a special highlight for day 4. The plan was to enjoy a lunch and then spend some time in their shop. We liked lunch and the general feel of the place so much, we went back for breakfast before taking the ferry back home. Without much ado, let me tell you everything that made this place a favourite for us.
That moment when we drove in, I knew this would deliver. Sometimes, you just know. We went sort of at the start of the garlic growing season and we were not met by swathes of garlic but by a rustic rural site after having navigated some beautiful country roads to get there. On entering we spotted the farm shop, the path to the restaurant and beautiful open fields and this lovely van parked outside and a beautiful play area at the far end that we spent a lot of time at!
We were so hungry so we went to the restaurant first. The big bonus is that they welcome doggies (a non-negotiable on a holiday for us) and the seating area is so beautiful. We were right by the window and that section of the restaurant was fairly busy despite it being off-peak which is a fabulous sign always. It has such a rustic warmth with its wood architecture and the minute you step in, there is a sense of unhurriedness that instantly relaxed us. Also something else my sharp nose (probably don’t need one!) immediately detected a very subtle but definitely lingering garlicky aroma in the air. And that is what we felt with the food – there is a subtle garlicky flavour but it is really well done and perfected so if you like garlic, you will appreciate how sublime it is and how the most appropriate dishes have been chosen for it and lend themselves to the flavours of garlic.
We placed our orders right away and I have to say the service was SUPER quick which our tummies really appreciated. I had a fiery tomato juice and I loved it. It came with this absolute kicker of a sauce which we also got a couple of bottles of because we loved it so much. I added a spoon too much at first but the heat grew on me!
For starters, we shared a roasted garlic bulb (yum) with thyme whipped butter (also yum) and home made sourdough (what is not to yum). It was topnotch. I love simple things made with beautiful flavours and quality ingredients and this was a perfect start for us. That butter was just fabulous and paired perfectly with the roasted garlic. Definitely the kind of compound butter I would love to try at home.
For mains, I had celeriac & white bean risotto with garlic kale drizzled with lemon & sage oil – so delicate and so comforting. I couldn’t really tell lemon in that dish but I loved how balmy it felt. It was my first time trying celeriac and while I don’t cook it at home yet, it is definitely one I would like to use more of given how much of it grown locally. We also shared some chips which was served with – surprise surprise – garlic mayo and it was perfect.
I wandered off to the farm shop for a good exploration while the rest of the troop went to the play area and a walk around the fields. And we were both very happy with our choices.
The shop has such an assortment of fantastic local produce from some of the local farms with IoW tomatoes being a highlight and some locally produced butter both of which I brought home. But their highlights are all the garlicky produce they make in-house – sauces (definitely check them out!), cloves for snacking, oak smoked garlic, fresh garlic for cooking, chutneys, jams and all the goodness that a farm shop can boast of. They also had some beautiful garlic bulbs to grow which I picked as well and it is all such a nice space for some culinary exploration and inspiration. They also have an online store which is great if you have bought and loved something and want to buy it more regularly.
We liked the food and experience so much that we went back on the last day at IoW. I had heard that the full English is their top b’fast order so I had the full English vegetarian and it was just fantastic – the tomatoes, the mushrooms, even the hash! As I said, good ingredients make good food and that is very evident on what they bring to the table. I go with very less expectations over coffee in restaurants but their oat cortado was nice and I would highly recommend a b’fast experience as well. We couldn’t stay a lot this time, but ofcourse I still popped into the shop to get some garlic feed and then we left, tummies and hearts full.
Absolutely loved it. It’s the kind of place that feeds the soul as much as the appetite. We would happily go again! Have you been here, how did it feel?
Life and Times of Piyu 